Quick Answer: Afrishore BPO President and Founder Sean Effune joined Derek Gallimore, founder and CEO of Outsource Accelerator, on the Outsource Accelerator Podcast in October 2026. They discussed how Afrishore grew its US and UK client base, why South Africa suits voice work, the company’s aim of 10,000 jobs in South Africa, and a grounded view of AI in outsourcing.

Key Takeaways

  • Sean Effune appeared on the Outsource Accelerator Podcast, hosted by Derek Gallimore, in October 2026. Listen to the full episode on Outsource Accelerator.
  • Afrishore’s stated mission is to bring 10,000 jobs to South Africa, with a deliberate focus on one country rather than spreading across regions.
  • Sean credits much of the company’s growth to relocating to the US roughly five years ago, putting him in the same time zone as clients.
  • Afrishore now runs more than 100 bilingual Spanish agents and team leaders from South Africa, a capability most buyers would not expect from the region.
  • On AI, Sean is bullish but candid: fewer tier one roles over the next decade, more solution-led work, and some clients have reversed early AI decisions that had not yet shown economic value.

What Sean Effune Discussed with Derek Gallimore

The conversation covered Afrishore’s growth, the case for South Africa as an outsourcing destination, and where AI fits. Outsource Accelerator is one of the most widely referenced outsourcing marketplaces and directories, with more than 450 podcast episodes and a directory of over 4,700 BPO companies, according to the Outsource Accelerator site.

Sean described the business plainly: “Afrishore is a bespoke owner-operated BPO operational center out of Johannesburg.” The ambition is equally direct. “We’re pushing to bring 10,000 jobs to Afrishore in South Africa,” he told Derek.

That focus is a deliberate choice. While many providers spread across several delivery regions, Sean wants depth in one market. “I wanna focus on South Africa because… the talent pool in our local environment and a bit of focus can really get to a point, in my opinion, to be about 10,000,” he said.

Why Being in the Client’s Time Zone Matters

The biggest unlock, Sean said, was personal. He moved to the US roughly five years ago so clients could reach a decision maker during their own working day.

“What I find is the clients, they respond a little bit better when I’m sitting in the same time zone and talking and pressing the flesh and really unlocking what they want help with and a solution,” he explained. The practical edge is availability: “I’m at the end of a quick telephone call at five o’clock in the afternoon as opposed to 1:00 AM in South Africa.”

That closeness is also behind many of Afrishore’s wins. Clients often arrive after feeling overlooked by a much larger provider. “Some of our success has been from clients saying, ‘Well, you know, we were with a big BPO, and we just didn’t feel loved,'” Sean said. “It doesn’t matter how big we get, we still wanna offer that in-person offering.” Afrishore’s business process outsourcing model is built around that owner-led, hands-on relationship.

The Case for South Africa

Asked to make the case for the country, Sean kept it short. “The benefits of South Africa in its simplest form are, there’s obviously a more neutral accent on voice type work,” he said, alongside an abundance of skilled and semi-skilled talent.

He sees South Africa as early in its growth curve compared with more established hubs. “When markets reach saturation points, you have to pivot. I think South Africa is far from a saturated point. I think there is a ton of talent.” Our guide to BPO in South Africa sets out the wider market picture.

The talent pool also stretches further than many buyers assume. Sean explained that Afrishore tested whether it could serve Spanish-speaking customers from South Africa. “And you’d be surprised, we actually can. We have over 100 bilingual Spanish agents, team leaders working in the group.”

A Grounded View of AI in Outsourcing

Sean sees AI changing outsourced work rather than ending it. “Technology will shift the level of work that is being outsourced. Clearly gone are the days of basic work being outsourced… I think the net-net is an opportunity for growth,” he said.

He was also candid that the near-term reality is messier than the hype. “We’ve also seen clients reverse their decision because, from an economic point, it actually hasn’t shown that economic value just yet.” He expects fewer entry-level roles over the next decade, but remains “very bullish of the overall growth in the sector.”

For Sean, that means the hourly-resource model is finished. The future is “a much more solution-orientated offering as opposed to just an hourly resource. Those days are gone.” That thinking runs through Afrishore’s approach to AI-augmented offshore operations and its IT outsourcing division.

More Than Jobs

The work carries a social return that clearly motivates him. “It always brings me joy when you hear the stories of agent to supervisor to QA to manager to operations exec, and they are homegrown,” Sean said. “Many people, especially in South Africa, have not had the same opportunities as the rest of the world has.”

That theme connects to Afrishore’s Impact Sourcing Report and to Sean’s recent interview with CNBC Africa on inclusive hiring. Earlier this year, Afrishore was also ranked #3 in Outsource Accelerator’s Top 40 BPO Companies in South Africa (2026).

About Afrishore BPO

Afrishore BPO launched in 2016, built on three decades of business services experience through our founding company, Norton-Lambrianos Group (NLA), a Johannesburg-based financial services and debt recovery firm founded in 1993. We are a compliance-certified (ISO 27001, ISO 9001, HIPAA, PCI-DSS) business process outsourcing company headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, with satellite offices in Dallas (US), London (UK), and Cape Town (SA), running a 1,000+ seat operation. We deliver offshore customer service and back office support, financial services outsourcing, and IT outsourcing, including specialized support for the insurance, iGaming (Casino and Sports Betting), healthcare, travel, retail, and eCommerce industries, plus accounts receivable management (ARM), to companies across the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada.

To talk to Sean or the team about your requirements, get in touch here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who did Sean Effune speak to on the Outsource Accelerator Podcast? Sean Effune, President and Founder of Afrishore BPO, was interviewed by Derek Gallimore, founder and CEO of Outsource Accelerator, in October 2026.

What is Afrishore BPO’s growth goal in South Africa? Sean Effune said Afrishore’s mission is to bring 10,000 jobs to South Africa, focusing on depth in one country rather than spreading across several delivery regions.

What did Sean Effune say about AI and outsourcing? He expects AI to shift outsourced work toward higher-value, solution-led services, with fewer tier one roles over the next decade, but he remains bullish on overall sector growth and noted some clients have reversed early AI decisions that had not yet shown economic value.